The Pantry Reconfiguration Part 2 (aka The Tuna Degustation)

Week One of the culinary frugality experiment is complete. And I have to say, it was not as difficult as I imagined it would be, although there were some challenges.

We did have some help this week, in that it was a more social week for the family than usual.  We were invited to lunch with some old family friends on Sunday, so a massive roast meal and dessert came at no cost (well perhaps to the waist line, but more of that later).  Friday night I went out for dinner with the Chardy Girls so didn’t have to plan that meal, although obviously the cost of the night negated grocery savings during the week.  The boys decided to get take out noodles in my absence, so another additional cost there.  But as I said, this really was an unusual week in that we don’t tend to eat out and takeaways are quite limited.

On the plus side, S&H has rediscovered jelly as a favourite dessert, which is just as well as the audit last week turned up six packets of assorted flavours!  He is currently working his way through packet #3 (4 serves per pack), so we have at least another week ahead of instant after school snack and/or dessert, assuming he doesn’t tire of bright artificial colours and flavours.

Sadly, my cunning plan to rid the house of the tuna glut (EIGHT assorted tins located, various added flavours) did not last the week.  I managed to have tuna and salad at work for lunch for four days, but by Friday I was well over it (as were my colleagues, who although they didn’t say anything, started avoiding my office between 12.30 and 2.00pm). So on Friday I caved and bought myself a lentil curry from Ali’s (the best curry in town and only $5.50 for lunch, what a bargain). Granted, my colleagues now had a whole new reason to avoid my office, but at least it wasn’t my breath they had to worry about J.

But back to the pluses. We ate well (I think) and grocery costs were down, as were trips to the supermarket. I always find those “drop ins” to the store, especially on the way home after school or work, lend themselves to aimless wandering of the aisles and end in a basket full of stuff that just doesn’t get used, or is unnecessary, or both.  I did miss corn chips with my pre dinner Chardy, but I got over it.

So, to the meal planning.  Breakfast for all is stock standard toast, yogurt, or cereal.  Packed lunch for S&H comprises a sandwich (usually with meat and cheese), fruit and homemade cake.  You may recall I bought a stack of fruit and vegetables at the market on Saturday morning, then a few extras at the supermarket. During the week there were two additional supermarket trips, each time with a list that was adhered to (well, except for the Aero bar but I’m only human!)

This is how we ate last week:

	LUNCH	DINNER	FROM THE PANTRY
SATURDAY	Scrambled Egg with bacon on toast	Cauliflower and Rigatoni with Blue Cheese Sauce	Large Rigatoni from Pantry Purchased Cauliflower All other ingredients from fridge
SUNDAY	With Friends	Baked Vegetables and Fetta	Purchased veggies, except onions and garlic from Pantry Fetta from fridge
MONDAY	Tuna and Salad (me) Left over veggies& fetta, fruit and cake (S&H) Leftover Cauli & Rigatoni (LSH)	Seafood risotto	Arborio rice from Pantry Purchased 300g marinara mix Prawns from freezer
TUESDAY	Tuna and Salad (me) Packed lunch (S&H) Leftover risotto(LSH)	Caesar Salad	Croutons from Pantry Everything else from the fridge
WEDNESDAY	Tuna and Salad (me) Packed lunch (S&H) Whatever he could find in the house (LSH)	Veggie curry and rice	Curry sauce and basmati rice from Pantry Most of the veggies were from the market purchase on Saturday, but I did buy a capsicum sweet potato and some mushrooms at the supermarket
THURSDAY	Tuna and Salad (me) Leftover curry, fruit and cake (S&H) Leftover curry (LSH)	Home made pizza with veggies and fetta	Pizza dough from Pantry ingredients Veggies and fetta from the fridge
FRIDAY	Lentil curry (me) Packed lunch (S&H) Fed at work (LSH)	Dinner with friends (me) Takeaway noodles (boys)	N/A

Grocery expenditure for the week was just under $110.00 and this included non-consumables like toothpaste and asprin.  This is not because I am a skilful shopper.  It’s because we had, and continue to have, a large range of staples, condiments, additionals etc. in both the Pantry and the Fridge. Don’t even get me started on the freezer; I’m going to look in there later today.

I had a couple of concerns going into this.  The first related to monotony of menu, which I think I managed to avoid (tuna being the obvious exception, but I just put that down to personal weakness on my part J). The second was about the nature and amount of carbohydrates that we would be consuming, and I think that concern was realised this week.  I have eaten more rice, pasta and dough in one week than I would normally and I need to be smarter next week if I don’t want to blow out like the Hindenburg.

So the challenge for this week will be to do it all again, but with less carbs if possible. I think I’ll take a leaf from my friend Kelli’s book and buy some more cheese.

If you have any comments about last week’s menu, or suggestions for this week, I’d love to see them.  And stay tuned!